The Chicago White Sox were so lucky to have Carlos Rodon in 2021. He wasn’t supposed to be back after being cut in 2020 but they decided to bring him in and he rewarded them big time. He had to battle for the fifth spot in the rotation with Reynaldo Lopez which had to be tough on him. He won it and then some.
By the end of the year, you could make a claim that he was the ace. Lance Lynn came in third for the Cy Young but Rodon came in fifth which was just sensational for a guy like that. He worked hard to get to the top and it was so easy to root for him as a baseball fan.
Now, he has a new MLB home following that big year in 2021 as the San Francisco Giants signed him to a two-year deal worth 44 million dollars. That is a heavy pay upgrade from the one-year deal worth three million in 2021.
The White Sox did him a huge favor by not sending him a qualifying offer. It was almost a sign of respect knowing that he probably wouldn’t be able to accept it as he would command a lot on the open market. He has an opt-out after this 2020 season if he so wished to use it.
Left-handed starter Carlos Rodón and the San Francisco Giants are in agreement on a two-year, $44 million contract that includes an opt-out after the first season, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 11, 2022
The Chicago White Sox are really going to miss Carlos Rodon in 2022.
Rodon will always be remembered for this past season but he deserves credit for being a great player with a great attitude. A lot of people would have given up after a few of the things that he dealt with.
Now, he will go to a very good Giants team that had the best record in the league last season. It will be a fight for the top of the division with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres so it will be so fun to watch him compete from afar.
Hopefully, Rodon got his arm soreness issue figured out. That is really the only risk for the Giants in their signing of him. He proved that when he is healthy, there is an elite pitcher in there. It showed in his ERA, no-hitter, and outstanding command that he displayed throughout the year. Good luck, Carlos.